Building construction



E. O. BROSTROM BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 11, 1929 Dec. 27, 1932.

IN V EN TOR: Irncsi O. bro rom A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Application filed January 11, 1929. Serial No. 331,740.

The present invention relates to building construction, and aims to devise an improved type of building unit of such a nature, that, together with other selected units and appurtenances, the same will afford increased speed, facility and economy in the erection of reinforced concrete framed structures.

The primary purpose in view is to provide a form unit adapted to be assembled in such a way as to produce a structure of a selfsustaining character, and which will be operative as a formwork for the molding of concrete material and also adapted to remain as a permanent part of the building structure. In this connection, the form unit is of a type providing spaced sides or panels, which may function in the same way as spaced structural elements, such as sheathings, plaster lath, etc., in usual frame buildingconstrucapart by partition members providing appropriate passages for the molding and set-- ting of the concrete material into the form of sills, studs, plates, joists, rafters and the like. A form unit construction is further contemplated which may be either of a permanently rigid character or of a flexible or collapsed type adapted to be opened up or expanded for use, together with appropriate provision for alining the same into the required assembled relation.

Further features of the improvements reside in the provision of simple and efficient bonding and reinforcing means for the concrete frame: in providing an interior trussing means for one type of form unit for adapting the same to function as a bridging unit under certain conditions of construction; and also means for the attachment of extraneous devices or materials to either ofthe exterior faces of the form work.

lVith the foregoing general objects in view, and various minor objects as will appear in 5 the course of the following detailed description, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawingillus trating certain forms of construction which I have devised for acting as suitable embodiments of the improiements, after which those tion, these panels being separated and held featuresand combinations deemed to be novel will be set forth and claimed.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is an isometric view (partly in section and partly broken away) showing a portion of a building construction employ-i ing form units embodying the present features of improvement;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, showing a wall construction embodying the improvements and illustrating its adaptation to different construction usages including different types of side or panel materials;

Figure 3 is a plan view showing both rigid as well as foldable or flexible types of build- Zing units and the oint or studconnection between adjoining units;

Figure 4 is a plan View showing a foldable or flexible unit in collapsed position; I b

Figure 5 is a sectional view illustrating a variation of the use of the form for other than vertical constructions, with open spacing between the partition members at one side of the form'unit, for producing an integral floor slab and joist construction;

Figure 6'is a plan view showing'a portion of a building form unit with reinforcing and bridging elements in place;

Figure 7 is a sectional detail View illustrating a section on the lineVII'-VII of- Figare 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional detail view illustrating fragmentary sections of different types of edge formations at the meeting edges between the form units; and 0 Figure 9 is a sectional detail illustrating a further variation in the form unit construction for providing overlapping partition members.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and n particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the form unit is shown as comprising a pair of sides or panels 1 connected and held apartby a series of parting, spacing or partition members 2. the assembly being such that the memhere 1 will constitute the sides of the form and the space between them will be partitioned into spaces 3 for receiving concrete material with alternating air and pipe-way spaces 4. lVhen the spaces 3 are poured full with the concrete material, the structural elements thus produced will constitute posts or studs 6 in vertical construction as represented in Figure 1, whereas in horizontal or inclined constructions they would constitute sills, joists, rafters, etc. The spaces 4 may likewise in some instances be more or less filled with the concrete material as indicated at 7 in Figure 2, for constructing solid walls or base courses, girts, or lintels, and the like, in which event the members 2 may be in skeleton form, as at 8 in Figure 2, for producing a substantially monolithic mass of cementitious material.

In this connection, it may be explained that the parting members 2 may be shortened sufiiciently to insert soffit or header pieces 10 in order to construct sills 11 or light lintels, belts or cap plates 12 and the like, according to special circumstances or construction requirements.

The sides or panel members 1 may be of any appropriate or desired material such as plaster board 17 or insulation board 18 as shown in Figure 1 and at the top ofFigure 2, or wood boards 13, lath strips 14 (with or without waterproof backing 15 of paper or the like) or metal lath fabric 9, all as represented in Figure 2. Using the wood lath 14 produces a base ready for plaster 16, and when the fabric or lath 19 is covered, or coated with cementitious material 20 this will permit union of the material 20 integrally with the conrrete mass in the spaces 3. V

In the adaptation of the formwork for horizontal construction as represented in Figure 5, the sides or panels 1 may be broken away across the spaces 3 between the partition members 2, as indcated at 23, either by omitting entirely the material of the panels at these points or by making them of skeleton form as indicated by the openings 24 in Figure 1; either of which expedients will resultin the concrete material of the spaces 3 uniting integrally with extraneously applied concrete 21 as required for floor construction or the like.

Again the sides or panels l may be of pre pared materials such as wood siding or shingles or stone, or of cement slab material as indicated at 33 in Figure 2, with any form of anchoring means 34 for securing the slabs or panels to the spacing or part-it on members 2. WVhere the latter are constructed of sheet metal as indicated at 2 the anchoring devices 34 can be formed asintegral lugs projecting from the margins of said members 2. Where the partition members 2 are of wood material, ordinary nail fastenings 29 or the like may be employed for securing the panels 1 to the members 2.

A modificat on of the form unit to provide a flexible and collapsible or expansiblc construction is shown in Figures 3' and 4, the panels being connected by spacing or parting members 2 having hooks or detachable pivotal connection with bracket elements 35; or said members 2 may be simply provided with curved prongs 36 at the r side margins and fitted in recesses 36' formed in the panels for permitting the hinge action for collapsing the form unit as represented in Figure 4. With this type of construction, the units may be stored and shipped to the building site in a collapsed state and there opened up for use as requ red.

To facilitate the process of erection and alinement of the form units, the spacing, parting or partition members 2 may be proportioned so as to project from the top or bottom of the unit, say from the top portion as illustrated in Figure 1, the opposite or lower ends of the members 2 being correspondingly inset, so that the successively superposed units will be interlocked together in a measure, as the projecting ends of the members 2 are telescoped into the next overlying unit (see Figure 2). However, as a modification of this feature of the construction, the spacing or parting members 2 may be constructed so as to project from either or both the top and bottom of the units w'th the members 2 of suc essive units in slightly staggered relation to offset them sufliciently to permit of the telescoping action and bring the projecting ends into lapped relation, as shown in Figure 9. Such a construction not only preserves the straight lines of the assembled un'ts but adds to the strength and rigidity of the framework.

For further facilitating the construction and making as tightly jointed an assembly as possible, various types of edge formations are of course possible for the sides or panels 1, either the full spliced form as indicated at 45, concave and convex as at 46, rabbeted as at 47, or interlocking V type as at 48. Or if preferred, plain butt edges 49 may be employed as shown in Figure 7.

7 Suitable clips or fastening devices are provided for securing together the ends or side edges of adjoining panels 1, as well as oooperating in some cases with tie or spacer bars connecting the panels and holding reinforced rods in place, as represented in F ig- I ures 1 and 3. I prefer to use a form of these fastening devices which is adapted for connecting either the ends of the panels where they meet in vertical lines, or the side margins of the panels meeting along horizontal lines, the device having an intermediate or body port on 51 for location between meeting edges and a pair of oppositely projecting wings or lugs 52 at each end of the body portion, and a pair of oppositely projecting intermediate wings 53.

These wings are of course for gripping engagement with the panels themselves, and being stamped from sheet metal the wings may be conveniently turned at any necessary angle, as for use at corners as shown at the right in Figure 1, for. connecting the beveled meeting edges of the panels. Certain of the wings'may be provided with nail holes 55 for allowing the use of nails 56 in securing units,

passage of the end portion of a tie or spacer bar32 regardless of whether these are assembled in the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 or turned at right angles to this position. These bars 32 are also formed with openings such as eyes 58 for the passage of straight steel reinforcing bars or rods 59, thereby serving to maintain the reinforcing steels exactly in their most efiective positions while acting as column ties as well.

Similar tying or securing devices in the form of shoes 60 may be provided for use beneath the base or bottom units, where the shoes are formed with wings or lugs 61 for gripping the panels 1. Such devices may of course be used as tie or fastening elements at any point where practicable and may be employed as cap pieces for the top of an assembly, as indicated at the upper portion of Figure 2. The device may be formed with projections 62 to serve. as means for attachment of extraneous devices (not illustrated). For the application of other finishes to the exterior face of either or both of the sides or panels 1, as for example metal fabric or lath 25, or stucco 26, holding or anchoring devices 28 may be secured to the exterior surface of the panels as by nailing said devices to the wood parting members 2, by hooking over the heads of the nails 29, or clamping as by means of the. bent lugs 30. Figure 1 illustrates an anchoring device 31 adapted to be similarly secured by hooking over the nails 29, for holding exterior material, such as brick veneering, in place.

For further facilitating the alinement of the units as they are assembled and reinforcing the same, steel reinforcing members 65 may be provided having turns or coil portions surrounding the parallel reinforcing rods 59,

the arrangement being preferably such that the bends or humps 66 of these coils will make exact contact with the inside faces of the panels 1, thus effecting and preserving the true perpendicular alinement of the form units while at the same time maintaining the rods 59 properly spaced from the form structure within the spaces 3. Other structural elements at right angles to those. just described and as represented by the structures 11 and 12, may be similarly reinforced by either the straight reinforcing bars 67 alone or by the interlacing method just referred to,

producing a most effectively tied and reinforced construction throughout.

In Figures 1. 6 and 7 is illustrated the use of reinforcing bars or rods for trussing purposes, by providing one or more continuous rods 68 for each form unit employed as a. bridging unit. Such rods will be constructed with loop or terminal hook portions 69 looping a'pair of reinforcing bars 59 in column tie fashion, the intermediate portionsof the rods 68 being presented at effective angles for offering resistance to both vertical and horizontal loads and thrusts. Such trussing action will thus be'produced throughout the structure When assembled, and the excessive loading of one member will be in part trans- V applied to the faces ofthe units from either direction. 1 I

A typical exampleof an erection process may be described as follows. Suitable preparation having been made byway of a base or foundation 76, as illustrated in Figure 1, upon this foundation a series of tying or fastening devices such as the shoes 60 may be laid at appropriate distances apart, preparatory to the first course of the form units represented by the panels 1 and parting members 2, the lower edges of the panels beingclamped into the wings 61 of the shoes and the panels being secured in end abutting relation by means of the fastening devices 51. r The next course of the'form units is then laid upon the first course, but in break-joint relation therewith, andin such a way that the stud forming spaces 3 will match up continuous. ly through the successive courses. The corners are also formed as required, andthe fastening devices 51, etc., employed as needed. As the construction proceeds, provision is of course made for whatever siils' 11, lintels 12, etc. are necessary, proper alinement being preserved. Where bridging units are used, these are located at the proper levels. When the form units are duly assembled, the reinforcing steel elements are put in place, and these will maintain the formwork accurately alined and hold the same as a self-sustaining assemblypreparatory for the pouring of the concrete.

Floor Work or inclined construction will be objects of the, invention. The form units may be sufficiently standardized so that only a minimum number of types need be made for meeting all normal requirements encountered in any concrete frame construction, and such units will be of comparatively light weight, and when constructed with the foldable or collapsing feature may be stored and'transported without waste of space.

It is also apparent that these units are practically ready for immediate placement 011 the building location with a very minimum of efiort and labor; that the alinemen't of the units as assembly is made is efiected accurately and with ease; and as the successive courses break-joint with each other by overlapping of the units this in itself constitutes a good construction practice, making for greater strength and rigidity. The form units provide for either solid or cellular construction, in the latter case comprising alternating solid-concrete and dead air spaces, providing for temperature, moisture and sound insulation. It is of course contemplated that the form devicesand units themselves may be constructed according to any shape, size or dimension desired, and of any suitable or practical material, adapted to render them fully fire-proof, moisture-proof or sound-proof 0r possessing resistive properties to any desired degree, in which connection it may be pointed out that it will be quite practicable to construct the panel members of material having light-transmitting properties such as glass, as a very desirable construction in some cases. The adaptability of the construction is such as to lend itself most readily to the formation of the necessary structural units, in either vertical, horizontal or inclined positions, including studs, sills, joists, rafters, etc. An importantfeature of the invention consists also of the reinforcing means for bridging and tying concrete elements together, and enabling either walls or partitions to be self-sustaining over spaced supports, or erected in cantilever form, as conditions may require; and in addition,.the truss or bridging elements are enabled to form column ties or the like.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred mode of embodying the invention and carying the improvements into practice, I desire to reserve the right to make all such changes or modifications as may fairly fall within the scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In building construction, form work comprising separate duplicate units each composed of side panels separated by spacing members, said units being mounted in courses one above the other in staggered and selffsustaining relation with said spacing members in alinement to form continuous pouring spacesfor concrete material, whereby said material, when poured, interlocks with units in assembled position.

2. A building form unit comprising spaced side members or panels, and parting or partition members flexibly connecting said panels at spaced intervais, and operating to maintain the panels either in separated or spaced relation or to permit collapsing of the units into folded position.

3. In building construction, form Work comprising a plurality of duplicate units each composed of side panels separated by spacing o partition members adapted to be mounted in superposed staggered relation and having interengaging and overlapping portions 0perative to effect and maintain vertical alinement of both said panels and said spacing or partition members. i

4. A building form unit comprising spaced side members or panels, and parting or partition members arranged at spaced intervals for maintaining said panels in spaced relation, and means for securing said panels to said partition members including provision for the attachment of extraneous material to the exterior face of one of said panels.

5. A building form unit comprising spaced side members or panels, and parting or partition members arranged at spaced intervals for maintaining said panels in spaced relation, and combined spacing and anchoring means adapted to be placed at intervals along a base or=support and provided with means for securing engagement with the lower edges of saidpanel.

6. In building construction, form work comprising separate duplicate units each composed of side panels separated by spacing members, said units being adapted to be mounted 1n courses w1th the units in end abutting relation as well. as with the superposed units in staggered or break-j ointing relation,

and fastening means comprising clips or the like clasping the inner and outer faces of the panels of all three units at said break-joint.

7. In building construction, form work comprising separate duplicate units each composed of side panels separated by spacing members, said units being adapted to be mounted in courses with the units in end abutting relation and fastening means comprising clips or the like clasping the inner and outer faces of the panels of adjoining units at their abutting ends and adjustable to permit angular jointing of said ends for corner formations.

S. In building construction, form work comprising separate duplicate units each composed of side panels separated by spacing members, said units being adapted to be mounted in courses and cooperating to provide pouring spaces for concrete material, fastening means comprising clips or the like clasping the inner and outer faces of adjoining panels for securing the same together in meeting relation, and tie or spacing means traversing the space between the panels and connecting oppositely located pairs of said fastening clips.

9. In building construction, form work comprising separate duplicate units each composed of side panels separated by spacing members, said units being mounted in courses one above the other with said spacing members in alinement to form continuous pouring spaces for concrete material, and reinforcing members for said spaces having projecting portions adapted to aline the superposed units by contact with the interior faces of the panels.

10. In building construction, form work comprising separate duplicate units each composed of side panels separated by spacing members, said units being adapted to be mounted in courses and cooperating to provide pouring spaces for concrete material, said panels being constructed with openings permitting union of extraneously applied concrete material with the concrete material poured into said spaces inside the form work.

11. In building construction, form work comprising separate duplicate units each composed of side panels separated by spacing members, said units being mounted in courses one above the other with said spacing members in alinement to form continuous pouring spaces for concrete material, reinforcing rods alined within said pouring spaces, and reinforcing members having coils encircling said rods and also operating to aline the superposed units by contact with the interior faces of the panels.

12. In building construction, form work comprising separate duplicate units each composed of side panels separated by spacing members, said units being mounted in courses one above the other with said spacing members in alinement to form continuous pouring spaces for concrete material, and reinforcing means comprising trussing ar ranged in inclined position within the space between said panels.

13. In building construction, form work comprising separate duplicate units each composed of side panels separated by spacing members, said units being mounted in courses one above the other with said spacing members in alinement to form continuous pouring spaces for concrete material, and reinforcing means comprising truss members arranged in oppositely inclined relation within the space between said panels.

14. In building construction, form work comprising separate duplicate units each composed of side panels separated by spacing members, said units being mounted in courses one above the other with said spacing members in alinement to form continuous pouring spaces for concrete material, reinforcing rods alined with said pouring spaces, and reinforcing means comprising truss members having their ends looped around said rods and the remaining portions of said truss members arranged in inclined position through the remaining spaces between said panels.

15. In building construction work, a plurality of duplicate units each composed of side panels separated by spacing members adapted to be mounted in adjoining relation said spacing members having extensions for projection into adjoining units to effect and maintain alinement of said units in assembling the same.

In witness whereof I hereunto afiix my signature. I

ERNEST O. BROSTROM. 

